Karl Rahner (1904–1984)

Transcripts of television interviews, which normally suggests idiocy, but Rahner is so intelligent and so humane that this is basically an hour and a half long course of medicine that will relieve your cynicism and restore your faith in humanity. Of course, when you put it down and have to deal with people who aren't Rahner, well, that's a different story.

So in the very first pages of this book, Rahner states essentially that one of the challenges of his book is people approaching it who are not smart well-read enough will find it very challenging and might dismiss it out of hand. I am that person, though I tried to work with it and meet the text where it was at.

Needless to say, I would have gotten way more out of this book if I had a stronger grounding in like very basic theology and philosophy. This isn't to say it was wholly worthless to show more me--some sections I found super enlightening and powerful, especially the section on the church, and there are specific parts I would love for everyone to read to better understand how Catholicism works and functions as a religion, as a body composed of a church and of individuals. More challenging sections that I would probably need to return to a couple of times include the chapter on Jesus Christ (yes, hilarious that is the chapter I didn't understand the most in a book about Christianity,) and the one about eschatology.

Still probably the most comprehensive book about Catholic theology I've ever read, and despite some of the challenges in terms of density, I would say Rahner's writing is very approachable, and even funny at times. (His section about the use of the word God in particular had me giggling.) Would say definitely a necessary read and I hope I can some day come back to this with a better appreciation for the nuances and a better understanding overall. show less

Karl Rahner refused to write his memoirs. He used to say that his life had been uneventful, that his bibliography -four thousand items in various languages - was his life. But he did agree in the end to a series of interviews that constitute a lengthy, sustained reflection on his life and thought.
In this book he talks about his childhood in Freiburg, his family life and religious background, the terror of life under the Nazis, the war years, and all that came after. There are delightful show more cameo portraits of Martin Heidegger, Alfred Delp and Cardinal Ottaviani; candid comments about the church and its future, about old age and the approach of death. But what comes through strongest of all is the clear and simple expression of the faith of a spiritual master who has been called 'the mystical doctor' and 'the theologian of everyday life'. show less

This is a beautiful, poetic, highly personal and highly moving account of Rahner's relationship with God. Each short chapter (there are 10 in total) takes the form of an address to God on a particular subject, as such it is like one side of a conversation. But as Rahner explores the subject although the voice of God is not heard - hence perhaps tthe silence in the title - it seems to come through the reflection in answer to Rahner's prayers. One of the best spiritual books I have read.